Sticky Gummy Finish on UNPLAYED 1999 Rick 4003 CurlyMaple FG

[(kiramdear)]

But...it DOES give an idea to a possible Aquaglo or Aqua-to-violet-glo refinish by Paul W. Hmmm...

Now you're getting somewhere.

[(gggoattt)]

Isn't the fact that it was good 4 years ago, a sign that it is a more recent problem?

I believe that the process is very, very slow from outgassing from the case. Four years ago, while not SHOWING signs of a problem at that time, I have a hunch that the process had already started and just didn't manifest symptoms at that time.

The other two basses that I purchased at the same time as this bass, were basically run-of-the-mill Ricks meaning that the wood had no special character. They were not kept as time capsules. They have been out of the cases here and there, and played. While they have spent the equivalent of years in their cases as well, they haven't been untouched. However, I DO worry about them developing the problem as the years go by and they are stored in their cases when not played. I think it is a potential problem for ANY instrument stored in formed foam style cases. I have posted about this on talkbass.com and the Rick forum and a few other people have had this same problem...with Ricks, as well as with Fenders and Gibsons. I'm not sure what style cases those have been; I haven't heard back from the other posters who have had this same problem.

Only a handful of my basses are kept as timepieces...this curly Fireglo, a '99 figured maple V63, a fireglo C64, a couple seagreens, and one each of my blueboys and bluebursts. The V63, C64, and seagreens are all in the vintage style case. They stopped the case option, so all of my blueboys and bluebursts are in the SKB style case. I have transferred one each of the blueboys and bluebursts into Fender tweed old school plywood style cases for the time being. So far, all my other basses are unaffected...but I haven't had a chance to check every single one.

[(gggoattt)]

But...it DOES give an idea to a possible Aquaglo or Aqua-to-violet-glo refinish by Paul W. Hmmm...

Now you're getting somewhere.

...with checkerboard binding. Might as well, since it won't be original anymore.

[(kiramdear)]

Oh yes ...

[(cheyenne)]

"They stopped the case option, so all of my blueboys and bluebursts are in the SKB style case."

You can still get the vingtage silver cases from a dealer. Try Mike Parks or Chris Clayton.

[(sloop_john_b)]

PICS.

[(cjj)]

I buy the vintage cases for all of mine (afterwards) - just 'cause I don't like the SKB cases. Perhaps it's a good thing...

[(gggoattt)]

"They stopped the case option, so all of my blueboys and bluebursts are in the SKB style case."

You can still get the vingtage silver cases from a dealer. Try Mike Parks or Chris Clayton.

I knew when I typed that that I should have specified the case UPGRADE option...

[(johnhall)]

When examining this inflicted bass' tailpiece after I found it gummed up from the case, I noticed how much nicer the chrome is compared to the small amount of pits and bubbles on my new ones' tailpieces.

Given the rather personal comments you've made about me to people and on websites, I'm not inclined to offer the benefit of my experience on the sticky paint issue.

However, I will comment on the chrome.

All chrome was converted to the tri-valent process some years back, as compared to the hexavalent chrome ("hard chrome") that we used previously. There's no question that it's not as good cosmetically although we have the highest standards and press the platers very hard for top quality. Unfortunately, most major international markets ban product with hexavalent chrome due to environmental reasons, so we quite literally have no choice.

You'll note also that every part that can feasibly be made instead with stainless steel has been updated, which is even more environmentally sound (though more expensive). It will tarnish in time but it can be repolished to its original brightness, unlike chrome which is always degrading with age.

[(Hotzenplotz)]

Given the rather personal comments you've made about me to people and on websites, I'm not inclined to offer the benefit of my experience on the sticky paint issue.

To be honest: originally I was looking for these comments.

What I found was more interesting, written already on the 30th of October - this thread was started later! - at another site, by the user gggoattt:

I was able to test polish some of the stickiness off with Zymol but the softness remains, and even with mild polishing the finish exhibits splotchiness of clarity...some areas are more shiny than others due to mild clouding. However, the problem is the softness and gummy aspect...and I don't want to polish it with something that might prevent it from being repaired by someone more knowledgable than me regarding Rick's conversion varnish.

BTW...I tried to polish an area with 3m Finesse-It wax...huge mistake. It's as if the polish immediately dulled the finish and wouldn't rub out. Repolishing with Zymol removed it...but still left the area soft and gummy. Not good.

I could not find this essential information in this thread...


- But I was asking (very early) if the rubber thing is under the scratch plate, too. No answer until yet.
I was asking this for the reason to isolate the "diagnosis" to two possibilities: if it is under the plate, the problem is the varnish itself or an outgassing process. Quite easy.

Reading the other more than similar threads I start to feel somebody has stolen my time!

There is a saying in german language, quite easy to transfer: "You can not dance on two weddings at the same time."

Maybe it is better to concentrate on ONE thread.

You have got 70 instruments, 25 of them are Rickenbackers? I am sure You own as many as one car, too.

So my final - and constructive - advice is: Take that bass, drive to a car painter and show the bass to him. The fastest way to get an answer. And please, do not waste so much time of others in future.

[(bassman7365)]

Given the rather personal comments you've made about me to people and on websites, I'm not inclined to offer the benefit of my experience on the sticky paint issue.

I like this, as there seems to be a whole segement of our population whom are of the opinion they should never be held accountable for their words and whatever happens could not possibly be of their own doing. This person has no idea what is the root cause of his problem. Yet, it is quite evident he has had no problem throwing, not only Rickenbacker Inc., but Mr. Hall himself under the bus. Kudos. Now he can pay to have his instrument shipped back to the factory, refinished, and returned to him. My apologies for the diatribe.

[(rickenbrother)]

Given the rather personal comments you've made about me to people and on websites, I'm not inclined to offer the benefit of my experience on the sticky paint issue.

I like this, as there seems to be a whole segement of our population whom are of the opinion they should never be held accountable for their words and whatever happens could not possibly be of their own doing. This person has no idea what is the root cause of his problem. Yet, it is quite evident he has had no problem throwing, not only Rickenbacker Inc., but Mr. Hall himself under the bus..

I agree with you , Pete. Plus the unkind comment towards RIC made by someone else on that other site, which if that site gets mentioned here again, this thread will be toast.

[(sloop_john_b)]

Now he can pay to have his instrument shipped back to the factory, refinished, and returned to him. My apologies for the diatribe.

Oh, I highly doubt it will be headed back to the factory...

[(RIC_FACTORY)]

Oh, I highly doubt it will be headed back to the factory...

That's a fact, JB.

My dos centavos: Gassing off? Seriously? That finish stopped gassing off before W took office, that is not the issue. Conversion varnish completely gasses off in in just a few weeks. How many weeks since it was sprayed? Even if one were to stretch the boundaries of chemistry, if it were still gassing off twelve years later, it theoretically should be HARDER, not softer and stickier.

As far as improper catalyzation, that can't be the explanation as the OP said the bass was fine previously when he showed it to friends. If the finish had been improperly catalyzed, that would have been readily apparent as soon as he first touched it. It would have been sticky then and remained like that.

Plus, the fact that it was made from curly maple means nothing. Curly maple is not any different than regular grade maple apart from the appearance.

Sounds like it reacted with the case, or was wiped down with something. I highly doubt that we'll ever know the truth.

[(gggoattt)]

Since it was never wiped down with anything prior to discovering the stickiness, then there is no reason to be highly doubtful regarding "the truth." Much appreciated thanks to Ben for finally giving a constructive thought out answer to this problem from the factory; I did not expect such an answer from anyone else higher up. The bass was never sticky before, and Zymol and 3m were only used on the upper horn after I discovered the sticky finish. That leads to only one answer...it is the case. If you leave your bass in the SKB style case for extemely long periods of time be sure to air it out and check on it frequently. I wouldn't want anyone else to go through this.